Wen Li gave a soft scoff and shook her head. “What is so hard to guess about that? Doing this clears your name most cleanly and offers the best way to dissolve the enmity between you and Wangquan Sheng. If you are clever enough, you would naturally do so. Had you not done this, I would have been disappointed instead.”
“You were baiting me earlier,” Zongzheng Huangyue realized.
Seeing how rattled she was, Wen Li curled her lips into a faint smile. “Don't be nervous. There is no need for me to bait you. It is merely that your little tricks are far too amateurish before me. If the Saint Emperor knew of Wangquan Sheng's future influence on you, he would likely be able to guess your thoughts as well.”
Zongzheng Huangyue parted her lips, subconsciously wanting to ask if she knew about the Saint Emperor summoning her for questioning. But meeting Wen Li's unruffled gaze, she suddenly regained her composure. Rather than continuing the conversation and letting more information slip out, she voiced her skepticism instead.
“You claim to have divined my future destiny, but I have no way to verify whether my younger sister, Zongzheng Yuanling, has been reborn in the Central Province. As for Wangquan Sheng, even if the first step you predicted came to pass, that still doesn't prove you truly possess the ability of divination. You could have investigated my dispatching people to ambush and kill Wangquan Sheng, and you could have sent someone to follow him, wait for him to fall off the cliff, and order them to drop some bone ring beside him. Then you could come before me to speak of fate and destiny.”
Wen Li lazily lifted her gaze, asking only a single question: “So you do not believe me.”
A single sentence completely choked back all of her prior skepticism. Zongzheng Huangyue pursed her lips. “Then you must give me at least one more thing to verify, or I cannot place my full trust in you.”
Though her words seemed plausible, she also understood that she was merely quibbling. Just the fact that a good-for-nothing like Wangquan Sheng hadn't died after falling off a ten-thousand-zhang cliff was enough to instill a sense of crisis in her.
Yet she still could not completely believe Wen Li's words. She was testing the waters of Wen Li's bottom line regarding taking her as a disciple, trying to secure some advantage for herself.
Yet Wen Li merely rose to her feet. “It seems you still do not care to live. So be it; we are not fated.”
With that, she turned and walked toward the door.
Zongzheng Huangyue's expression shifted drastically. She realized her little tricks had been seen through, and she had no retreat left. Right now, she held the inferior position.
Thump!
“I was wrong! I beg Senior to appease your anger!”
Zongzheng Huangyue was adaptable, able to bend and yield. In this moment, she dropped straight to her knees upon the floor, the thud ringing out with crystal clarity.
“I earnestly beseech Senior to take me as your disciple, begging only that Senior grant me a way to survive! As long as I draw breath, I shall be Senior's most loyal disciple, harboring no disloyalty whatsoever! Moreover, regardless of what status I attain in the future, all my freedom and authority shall be at Senior's disposal. With a single word from Senior, I will execute your command without fail. Even if you order me to kill anyone, I will obey!”
The Saint Emperor was merely using her as a mascot. Her life going forward would never be easy—devoid of real power, subjected only to manipulation. And if her sister Zongzheng Yuanling truly revived in the Central Province, she would inevitably return to seek vengeance.
Assailed from both sides, taking a master was the only path forward. At worst, death was the outcome anyway—how much worse could it get? Even though she still did not know what cultivation realm or identity this woman before her possessed, she had to make this gamble!
“You wish to take me as your master? I can tell you quite clearly that I currently possess only the cultivation of Foundation Establishment Great Perfection.”
Wen Li halted her departing steps. Her back remained turned to Zongzheng Huangyue, who knelt on both legs with her spine held straight. This was the second time she had knelt before her.
The first time had been because she perceived Wen Li to be powerful and wanted to abandon Zongzheng Yingchu to take her as master instead.
The second time was because her life was threatened, and she needed to seek a way out.
Both times were for Zongzheng Huangyue's own sake—either to grow stronger or to survive. Before these two goals, she could cast aside her dignity of her own volition and drop to her knees in an instant.
Foundation Establishment Great Perfection?
How could that be? Even the protector sent by the Saint Emperor by her side possessed Golden Core cultivation.
Zongzheng Huangyue's pupils trembled violently. She knew that at this stage, Wen Li had no reason to deceive her. But she also noticed the word “currently” in Wen Li's words, which meant it was only temporary.
“I have never once regretted any choice in my life. Even if Senior possesses such cultivation, I still believe Senior can rescue me from this dire strait.”
Even knowing now that the younger sister she had possessed and killed had been revived in the Central Province, she still did not regret possessing and killing her. She wanted to become strong, and she had to continue down this path of treading upon others' bones.
In truth, her sister Zongzheng Yuanling also possessed the Nether Ghost Physique. But Zongzheng Huangyue had been discovered by the Saint Emperor first. Had she not chosen Zongzheng Yuanling as the vessel to possess, the Saint Emperor would have bet on her sister if her absorption of the ten thousand people's essence blood failed. Unwilling to let the opportunity she risked her life for be stolen by anyone—not even her own sister—she had steeled her heart and singled out Zongzheng Yuanling as the body to possess. In doing so, she severed all alternative choices, leaving herself as the sole option.
Gazing at Wen Li's back, Zongzheng Huangyue spoke in a resolute, resonant voice.
“Senior's choosing me proves that there is something about me Senior desires as well. Senior went through all the trouble of revealing everything to me and having me verify it, only to wait for my return. Isn't that precisely to test my capability, my loyalty, and my sincerity? I am willing to do anything for Senior.”
“I ask only that Senior accept me as your disciple and allow me to live.”
Pausing, and seeing that Wen Li did not turn back, she steeled her heart. Forming a hand seal, she forced out a drop of vibrant Soul Blood from between her brows.
Her face paled noticeably. “This is my Soul Blood. Senior may take it and set your mind at ease regarding me. If I ever betray Senior one day, you may obliterate me directly.”
She was inexplicably certain that the person before her could definitely alter her destiny. She could never let this opportunity slip away.
Even if she handed over her Soul Blood, so long as she remained loyal, she would be safe for the rest of her life. She could afford to take this gamble.
Hearing those words, Wen Li finally turned back to look at her. Soul Blood could be given to only one person; this meant she had not given it to the Saint Emperor, yet was offering it to her. Her indifferent gaze fell upon the kneeling figure on the floor. With a wave of her hand, the Soul Blood returned between Zongzheng Huangyue's brows.
“Soul Blood will not be necessary. A disciple of mine has no need for such things.”
At those words, delight showed on Zongzheng Huangyue's pale face. That meant she had accepted her!
“However, to be my disciple, there is one condition.”
“Senior, please speak.”
“I do not need Soul Blood to control you, and deep down you do not even have to be entirely convinced by me. But I require your absolute obedience. I dislike those who are disobedient. If you cannot do that, you will die. Even if you are some Princess Huangyue of Houchi Kingdom, protected by the Saint Emperor, if I want you dead, no one can stop me.”
Wen Li lifted her gaze. Her cold, piercing eyes locked onto her, causing her heart to tremble. Inexplicably, she truly believed that this Foundation Establishment cultivator possessed such capability.
Zongzheng Huangyue nodded immediately. “I understand. I will follow Senior's bidding in all matters, without the slightest defiance.”
Without hesitation, she reverently kowtowed three times. Straightening up, she called out with utmost respect,
“Master.”
Shuffling on her knees over to the table, she poured a fresh cup of hot tea. Then, knees scraping across the floor, she shuffled back before Wen Li, her posture humble and submissive.
“Please have some tea, Master.”
The young girl's bowed head seemed as though she were offering up her very heart, her knuckles tense as she gingerly held the teacup.
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